More Than A Conspiracy
by MissSteph22
Summary: It started with excitement - the will to see her friend do well in the spotlight, but somehow things changed the moment she caught wind of what was about to happen on-stage. Based on the episode 'Kiss Conspiracy' from the new series ALVINNN! and The Chipmunks. Oneshot.


**Look who it is making a return! It's been a while since I've published something on here, and after watching a couple of episodes of ALVINNN! and The Chipmunks, I was inspired. Quick reminder that this is set in the universe of the new cartoon, and not the 80s cartoon. It is based on the episode 'Kiss Conspiracy' if you'd like context. Hope you enjoy!**

 **P.S. - The Chipmunks and Chipettes belong to Ross Bagdasarian Jr. and Janice Karman.**

* * *

It started with excitement - the will to see her friend do well in the spotlight, but somehow things changed the moment she caught wind of what was about to happen on-stage.

Normally theatrical pursuits were reserved for Theodore, and theatrical pursuits of the _other_ variety went to Alvin. Simon was never really one for standing under the spotlight - not in school plays anyway. But now he was in a drama class, and he'd landed himself a leading role in the upcoming play. She couldn't question his motives, yet he was behaving a little strange lately. Whenever he spoke of rehearsals, Jeanette could sense the apprehension in his voice. He would fidget more than usual, and the topics of his conversations would wander anywhere but the play itself.

Peculiar, but she didn't want to question his motives.

But that night, sitting near the front of the auditorium, it all became clear.

She had been enjoying it thus far; the costumes looked dazzling, and the plot was captivating. So much work had been put into this, and although a couple of performers stumbled over their lines, it was a success. Simon had appeared on stage a number of times now. At each opportunity, he would recite lines of what sounded like the most beautiful poetry, removing his top hat as an act of courtesy in the presence of the female lead. The female lead. Jessie. She was dressed in pink, and wore a bonnet atop her bouncing curls. It was obvious in her performance that she had rehearsed it to perfection.

Yet, as the play progressed, every time Simon appeared on-stage, he seemed a lot more apprehensive.

And then the scene took place.

Dashing onto the stage was Simon's character - he looked extravagant, _bolder._ Jeanette had never seen Simon this confident. With a flourish, he took hold of Jessie and pressed a kiss to her cheek, and with another swish of his cape, he was gone. Instantly, the audience were swooning at the romantic moment. Jeanette, however, was stunned into silence.

She cast her mind back to the day she and her sisters were in the boys' room. They'd just discovered Simon was nervous about kissing his co-star. She tried her best to mask the shock, although she wasn't exactly sure why. Possibly to spare Simon's embarrassment. She wasn't sure. Brittany raved about how a girl's advice was the best to take, only to find her way to Alvin's lips. The blue-clad chipmunk looked positively mortified. She wished that she could help allay his fears, but she wouldn't have known how. In moments where it was just the two of them, when he would be poring over his script, she wished she could offer some kind of advice. But what would she say? Good luck with the kiss? It'll be fine? Maybe she was too embarrassed to talk about it with him. Maybe. If she were in Simon's shoes, she'd feel the exact same. She truly sympathised with her counterpart, and hoped that _somehow_ he managed to find the solution in time for his performance.

And here she was. Of course she knew he was going to have to kiss his co-star, and it hadn't affected her in any way she thought was possible. So why were her fingers tightly clutching the armrests? Her cheeks were getting hotter, and suddenly the auditorium felt stuffy. Before she knew it, everybody in the audience were on their feet applauding the cast.

* * *

The play was well-received. Well, Jeanette supposed that was an understatement. Walking through school, at every corner she turned, she would find another hoard of screaming fans. They were all looking for one person, and one person only.

"Simon!" One of them shouted, frantic and carrying what looked like a love letter. They ran up the corridor, and not too far ahead of them was the chipmunk himself. When the Safety Supervisor has to break his own rules, that was when Jeanette knew he was overwhelmed by the attention.

"Looks like my advice paid off," Brittany remarked, walking by the bespectacled chipette's side. She wasn't listening however - Jeanette continued to watch the smitten girls chase after their beloved. She had the beginnings of a frown upon her features. Something about it didn't sit well with her. "Jeanette?"

"Huh? Oh... Yeah, I... Yeah." As she kept walking, her mind kept replaying the kiss that captivated the hearts of the entire school. The more she thought about it, the more her stomach twisted. No doubt about it - she was happy for her friend, but she hoped the hype would disappear soon. The thought of Simon never having a moment's peace, love-struck fans clambering over each other just to get close to him, unsettled her.

Startled, she stopped in her tracks. Did that make her jealous? She didn't like to think it did...

* * *

It was the last performance of the play tonight, and Jeanette was debating whether or not to go. Her mind had been at war all week, thinking about the kiss. Rumours had been circulating that Simon tried to give Alvin credit for it, but his fans weren't ready to accept it. His name was everywhere - whispers in classrooms, pictures on lockers, and even videos online. If she were to be honest, Jeanette would say the entire thing had been blown out of proportion. But she was still happy for him, and she wanted to congratulate him for his success.

That was why she decided to go again.

Slinking into a seat in the back row, Jeanette observed how much the audience had grown since the first performance. Naturally - they were all here to see Simon.

Several scenes later and it was about to happen - Simon would sweep Jessie off her feet, and the audience would go wild.

But not everything goes as planned.

Jeanette watched anxiously as her counterpart started to lean in closer. But he suddenly pulled away, his co-star shooting him a strange look as he stuttered and fidgeted profusely. Something wasn't right - it was etched across his features. And then he spoke.

"I-I-I can't do it. I don't know how!"

As the purple-clad chipette gasped in surprise, the audience laughed at her visibly embarrassed friend. Within seconds, Alvin appeared, swinging onto the stage. He took hold of Jessie, and planted a kiss on her cheek, proclaiming that _he_ was her true love. This caused the audience to cheer, as it was realised that the 'heartthrob' of the play was actually Alvin, and not Simon.

So it was Alvin all along. It was never Simon who kissed Jessie.

Jeanette, who didn't even realise she had been holding her breath, let out a quick sigh.

* * *

She wanted to say that once the play finished and the truth was revealed, Simon stopped receiving grievous amounts of attention, but it wasn't to be.

For a while she would sit on a bench outside school at lunch, watching groups of girls gaze adoringly at the chipmunk. He still had the poor coping mechanisms he had when everybody thought he was a romantic guy. Sometimes she'd see Alvin standing a few paces away, sulking because it should have been him.

One day, after she figured she'd seen enough, she hopped off the bench and decided to take a walk around the school grounds. Some areas were quieter than others, and there was a particular spot Jeanette enjoyed visiting where she would hear nothing but the sound of leaves in the trees rustling in the light breeze. She started heading in that direction, her frustrations slowly melting away.

But suddenly, somebody crashed into her, sending them both to the ground.

"Jeanette! I'm so sorry!" The chipette glanced up to see her - very flustered looking - counterpart on his knees, the army of fans no longer in pursuit of him. He was out of breath. He must have been running away to get some peace and quiet. Re-adjusting her glasses, she sat up.

"That's okay." She noted how distressed he looked. "Are you alright?"

"Oh, I... I will be," he said, glancing behind him, only to find nothing. "It might take a few weeks but-"

"Seems like they can't get enough of you."

"I wish they'd stop," he sighed, rising to his feet. Jeanette did the same. "They know it wasn't me, and yet still..."

The chipette let out a soft chuckle as a her hair blew gently in the wind. Her eyes were fixed to the ground, all ways of initiating a conversation about the situation flying out the window with her confidence. And then with a voice quieter than she thought it would be, she spoke.

"What would you have done if Alvin didn't help you?" Simon blinked, her question perplexing yet interesting at the same time.

"W-well, I guess I would have had to..." He gulped. "I would have had to kiss her."

Tugging at the collar of his sweater, he started to blush at the thought.

"But you would have been too embarrassed," Jeanette concluded, remembering the last performance. His discomfort was obvious.

"I... I... you're right. B-but I..." The chipmunk exhaled slowly, eyes shifting from side to side. His cheeks were turning an incredible shade of pink. After struggling to finish his sentence, he gave up, resigning for a shy look.

"I wish I could have helped you," Jeanette whispered, almost quiet enough not to be heard. It was more thinking aloud than telling Simon what she felt, but he heard her. His eyes suddenly widened.

"W-what? H-help? As in...?"

"Advice," she quickly added, her own cheeks feeling very hot. Yet her hands were trembling. The chipette's thoughts drifted - in the worst possible moment - to what Simon might have thought. She remembered her sister kissing the air. The air, then Alvin. Maybe it was the best type of advice - to teach by practice...

"I don't know. I'm glad it's over with anyhow. Alvin's jealous that I'm receiving all the attention, b-but I don't see why. It's not really something I... _appreciate._ "

People having crushes on him? People finding him attractive? It made Jeanette wonder - when would he appreciate it? When would that moment come for him, when he decides that yes, he's found the love of his life and yes, he wants a relationship with them and yes, he wants to spend the rest of his life with them?

Wait...

"You'll find a way to deal with it. I know you will." She smiled reassuringly, a mess of thoughts currently being masked behind it. "You're smart, and you always know just what to do."

In that moment, violet eyes met blue. Jeanette's heart skipped a beat as she saw a certain spark in her counterpart's eyes come to life.

"You... you think?"

Nodding, Jeanette kept her gaze, but only for so long before she was sure her face was a brilliant shade of red. Biting her lip, she turned on her heel.

"I-I need to go..." She started walking briskly, a strong realisation coming over her.

* * *

When Simon announced he was taking part in another school play a couple of years later, Alvin groaned and mourned for the attention he was still receiving. Jeanette was taken by surprise, given how much stress the chipmunk had put himself under last time. But she supported him nonetheless. Simon was relatively excited about the new play - he had auditioned for a role, but was yet to find out who he would be cast as.

One afternoon, as she was sitting at the table outside the treehouse, she saw Simon approaching the foot of the steps. Waving, she invited him up. A couple of rogue blossom petals landed on his shoulders once he'd reached the top, making Jeanette giggle into her hand. Noticing, he quickly brushed them away.

"So, how did it go? Which part did you get?" The chipette asked as her counterpart took a seat next to her.

"The male lead!" Simon beamed, happy with his accomplishment.

"That's great news! I'm so happy for you," Jeanette responded, smiling in earnest.

"Rehearsals start tomorrow, so I'm excited. I think it's going to go well." He thought of the last time he performed, and grimaced. "I shouldn't need to worry about being followed wherever I go this time."

Laughing, Jeanette recalled the amount of times Simon was asked to give autographs.

"Do you have a kiss scene in this play?" She asked. It was an innocent enough question - having a kiss scene may warrant more fans. At the same time, she was really curious to know. The chipmunk didn't respond for a few seconds, possibly taken aback by the question, but after a pause he finally responded.

"I do." He looked so serious. Inhaling sharply, he continued. "I was wondering... if maybe you had any advice?"

The chipette almost choked on her drink.

"Advice? F-from me?" What could she possibly say? Flashbacks from before suddenly haunted her. "I... I don't really..."

 _Teaching by practice._

She let her eyes meet Simon's, her breathing hitched.

"W-well... I'm no expert, but y-you should probably start by looking at the person, and then taking their hand or something."

She had no clue. She'd never kissed anyone before.

 _Stop lying, Jeanette._

Her thoughts took her back to the moment where sheer impulse told her to kiss Simon on the cheek during a friendly but planned session of crossword puzzles. It was only the cheek, but at the time, and thinking about it moments afterwards, it was the biggest deal that she quickly had to recover from for the sake of Alvin's plan.

"And maybe a compliment as well?" Simon suggested.

"Y-yes. That would also work." She was internally cringing, fearing that she might go into meltdown at any moment.

"Are you alright?" The chipmunk asked, noticing the uncomfortable look on his counterpart's face.

"I think so..." She cleared her throat and stood. "A-anyway, you should follow that advice and I'm sure your kiss will go smoothly and-"

Her panicked speech was interrupted by the sudden feeling of lips against her own.

Simon had risen from his seat and hastily moved to kiss Jeanette. His trembling hands were on both of her cheeks, his eyes clenched shut. Their glasses met with a tiny 'clink'. The chipette's eyes were wide, her pulse rapid after a momentary stop. Part of her was in completely shock. The other part was in a state of total bliss. She had wanted to lean into the kiss, however before she had the chance, Simon pulled away. His breathing was heavy, and she could practically feel the heat emanating from him.

"How was that?" He made it look as though he was asking for a purpose - like he was still learning. Damn him. His eyes were searching, and Jeanette could only stare back, mouth agape.

"Yes," she whispered. "Spontaneity works too."

This made the blue-clad chipmunk smile.

* * *

The play was magnificent. Simon was doing a great job as the main character, and everybody in the audience was glued to the action on-stage. Jeanette was in the front row, marvelling at how much work everybody had put into this production. But something was off about it. Something Jeanette couldn't quite put her finger on.

It wasn't until the play finished and everybody had taken their bows that she realised.

There was no kiss scene.

* * *

 **Okay so... I was really inspired to write this after I watched 'Kiss Conspiracy'. I wanted to explore how Jeanette might have felt during and after that episode. I didn't realise until I was editing how similar this might be to "To Be Noticed", my other fanfic, what with the underlying feelings of jealousy. Also, a reference was made to the episode 'Saving Simon' with the Sudoku scene. If you haven't already seen the new cartoon, I strongly recommend it to you!**

 **I hope you enjoyed this little fanfic, and thanks for reading! :)**

 **Peace, love, and COOKIES! ~ MissSteph22 x :)**


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